Hypertension, heart failure and chronic kidney disease represent a significant and growing global health issue. Current therapies for these conditions include non-pharmacological, pharmacological and device-based approaches. Despite this variety of treatment options, the rates of control of blood pressure and the therapeutic efforts to prevent progression of heart failure and chronic kidney disease and their sequelae remain unsatisfactory. Although the reasons for this situation are manifold and include issues of non-compliance with prescribed therapy, heterogeneity in responses both in terms of efficacy and adverse event profile, and others, it is evident that alternative options are required to supplement the current therapeutic treatment regimes for these conditions.
Reduction of sympathetic renal nerve activity (e.g., via denervation) can reverse these processes. Ardian, Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif., has discovered that an energy field, including and comprising an electric field, can initiate renal neuromodulation via denervation caused by irreversible electroporation, electrofusion, apoptosis, necrosis, ablation, thermal alteration, alteration of gene expression or another suitable modality.